Envelop stamp and sealer.



T. A. CDSGRIFF. ENVELOP STAMP AND SEALER. APPL icAT|oN FILED JULY 1. 191s.

Patented July 10, 1917.

Genoma? THOMAS A. COSGRIFF, OF FULDA, MINNESOTA.

ENVELOP STAMP AND SEALER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1U, l 917.

Application filed `Tuly 7, 1916. Serial No. 107,925.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. Cosonirr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fulda, in the county of Murray and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop Stamps and Sealers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to means for sealing and printing the return cards thereon.

The invention has for its primary object the production of an improved device embodying for moistening the gummed edge of an envelop, means for compressing the envelop to seal it and means for printing the return card on the envelop while the latter is compressed.

A further object of the invention is the production of an improved envelop sealing and printing device inexpensive in manufacture and thoroughly el'licient in operation.

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consisting in the construction, combination and novel arrangement of parts, will be fully understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, of which,-

Figure 1 is a plan of a device constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 with the printing device in operative position on the envelop; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 4 is an inverted plan of the printing stamp; and Fig. 5 is a reduced similar view of the presser plate.

Although I have illustrated and hereinafter described the preferred embodiment of the invention, I would not be understood as being limited to the specific structure chosen for illustration for various alterations and modifications in the details of construction, and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Referring, now, to the illustrations, 6. represents a base plate of any suitable ma- 53' terial and preferably somewhat longer and wider than the envelops with which the device is to employed. Above the base plate is mounted a presser plate, 7. Illhe rear edge of. the presser-plate is substantially flush Vwith and hinged to the corresponding edge of the base plate, as by providing studs, 8, on the side edges of the presser plate adjacent the rear edge thereof. The studs are pivoted in suitable bearings, 9, on the base plate. The presser-plate is preferably narrower than the lower plate in order not to conceal the addresses on the envelops.

At the sides of the presser-plate are forwardly extending arms, 10, which rest upon torsion springs, 11, secured to the'base plate as at, 12. The said springs serve to normally maintain the presser-plate yieldably in spaced relation to the companion plate to permit the convenient introduction and removal of the envelops.

Extending longitudinally of and Aabove the presser-plate is a shaft, 13, the ends of which are freely supported in bearings, 14, on the sides of the base plate. The shaft is formed with an elongated cam, 15, and on the end of the shaft is provided a Vlever which is operated to rock the shaft and bring the cam into engagement with the presser-plate to firmly press the latter upon the envelop. 'Ihe upper left corner of the presser-plate is cut away as at, 31, in order `to expose the portions of the envelops upon which the return cards are to be stamped. At the rear of the base plate are secured upright bearings, 17 in which are mounted the ends of a rock-shaft, 18, the intermediate portion of which is fiat sided or square in transverse section. Upon the rock shaft is slidably mounted a sleeve, 20, carrying a forwardly-extending lever arm, 21, from which depends a block, 22, provided on its under side with type characters, 23. The printing block, 22, is normally held in an upwardly-inclined position, as shown in Fig. 3, by means of a spring, 24, which encircles the shaft, 18, and has one end secured to the shaft and the other to the adjacent bearing, 17. Upon the presser-plate, 7, is mounted a suitable type-inking element, or stamp pad, 25. At the rear edge of the base plate is mounted an upright, 26, supporting a box, 27, or other suitable container, in which is a sponge, 28, or other suitable moistening means.

In operation the gummed edge of the envelop is drawn across the moistener, 28. The envelop (which is represented as 29) edge to `the base plate,

is then inserted face upward, between the base and presser-plates. The lever, 16, is then moved forwardly, whereupon, the cam, l5, will press the plate, 7, into irm engage` ment with the envelop and thus cause the gummed flap to firmly adhere to the back of the envelop. v v

' While the envelop is thus firmly held in position the stamping lever, 21, is depressed above 'the pad, 25, to bring lthe type inconta'ct with the pad, as shown by Vdotti-5d lines in Fig. 3. VThe stamp is then moved along thershaft, 18, to a position above thepresserplate opening, 3l, and the lever again del pressedl to print the return Icard upon the envelop. The lever, 16, is then moved rearwardly, whereupon, the springs 11, raise the presser plate Vand ,permit the convenient removal ofk the sea-led'and printed envelop- Upon Veither the upper side of the base plate or the underside of the presser-plate may be inounted raised strips, 30, which are Yso positioned as to inipin'ge the envelop on lines coincident with the g'ummed edge of the envelop flap.

Obviously the device may be so constructed as Vto accommodate envelops of all sizes.

Having thus described 'my invention, what I`claii`n 'as neit and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,- 4 Y l. In device for printing and sealing envelops 'a base plate upon which envelops maybe placed, a presser pl'ate hinged at one and narrower than the "envelops, eXtended parts on the free edge d of the presser plate, yieldable means between Yto expose portions said parts and thebase plate, the hinged edge of the Apresser plate havin-g `an opening of the Yenvelops to be printed anda printing stamp operable to one edge to the base plate above the presser plate by the opening while the impress the said portions within the opening, and means for depressingl the presser plate to impinge the envelops,

2. In a device for printing and sealing envelops, a base plate upon which envelops may be placed, a presser plate hinged at and narrower than the envelops, extended parts on the free edge of the presser plate, yieldable means between said parts and the base plate, the hinged edge of the presser plate having an opening'to expose portions of the envelops to be printed, a cam-shaft supported the base plate and operable to depress the presser plate t0 impinge the envelops, and a printing device operable to impress the portions of lthe envelops within the opening while the presser plate is depressed.

3. In a device for printing and sealing envelops, a base plate upon which envelops may be placed, a presser plate hinged at one edge to the base plate and narrower than the envelops, extended parts on the free edge of the presser plate, yieldable means between said parts and the base plate, the hinged edge of the presser plate having an opening to expose portions of the envelops to be printed, a cani shaft supported above the presser plate by t-he base plate and operable to depress the presser plate to impinge the envelops, strips on one of said plates positioned to impinge the envelops on lines coincident with the gunnned edges of their flaps, and a printing device operable yto inipress the portions of the lenvelops within presser vplate is depressed.

In testimony, whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS A. COSGRIFF.

@Gines this ipatent'may be "btained'ifor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner lof Patents,

- Washington, D. C. 

